Severus' Disturbed Winter Holidays
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Severus is hiding an illness from Poppy and Minerva. What will Harry's role be in this? AU, OOC, sick!Sev


**Severus' Disturbed Winter Holidays – Sequel to "Harry's Missed Halloween Party"**

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_I'm not a native speaker of English. So please excuse my mistakes – or tell me, so that I can correct them!_

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._

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Severus sat down behind his desk, on which the students' homework and tests waiting to be graded were piled so high that he couldn't see anything else. Nevertheless, he leaned back in his chair, sighing in relief. Over the last week, Poppy Pomfrey had been ill with a bad case of the wizard's flu, and the Headmaster had sent her to bed, deciding that he, Severus Snape, should look after her and all the sick students in addition to his normal huge work load as Potions professor, Slytherin Head of House, and Potions Master. To even worsen the situation, over the last week, he even had to nurse Potter back to health, whom Minerva had brought to the hospital wing with the wizard's flu on top of a bad ear infection. Fortunately, his former teacher knew how much he despised the boy and spent every free minute at his side, looking after the child, so that Severus only had to check on him during the night when the brat was asleep anyway.

Now, Poppy was finally back on her feet, and Severus could return to his own work. After all, he could begin to grade the pile of parchments on his table. '_Fortunately, Potter will still be in the hospital wing for a few days, so that I won't have to give out detention, provided that Weasley and Longbottom behave_,' he mused, unconsciously rubbing his forehead, hoping to get rid of the headache that had already been bothering him the whole day.

Confirming with a glance at the clock on the mantelpiece that curfew had already begun, he started to grade the first year tests, using an immense amount of red ink, before he abandoned his work for the night and went to bed when his headache became unbearable.

'_Maybe I should take a headache potion_,' a small voice at the back of his mind spoke up when he let himself sink into the comfortable, warm bed in his bedroom. His colleagues always seemed to think that it was very convenient for him to always have the right potion at hand when he needed something, but nobody knew as well as himself how dangerous it could be to get used to potions, which was the reason why he normally tried to heal himself without taking any potions.

However, when he woke up in the morning, the pain had expanded to his ears. Severus groaned as he dragged himself into his private lab, gulping down a pain relieving potion in order to survive his morning classes. '_Maybe I caught Potter's ear infection_,' he mused as he trudged to the Great Hall for breakfast. By the time he sat down at the Head table, slowly drinking two large cups of coffee without looking at Minerva in order not to be scolded about not eating, he noticed that the potion had only helped so much and his headache as well as the pain in his ears was back full force.

"Albus, I might not make it to lunch today," he finally addressed the Headmaster, knowing that his condition was hardly going to improve over his classes. "I have a pile of parchments to grade and potions to make for the hospital wing."

"All right, my boy," the Headmaster replied gently, "but don't work too hard, and don't forget to eat lunch. I expect you here for dinner in any case."

From the corner of his eye, Severus saw that Minerva threw him a concerned look, obviously trying to assess if something was wrong with him. He lightly inclined his head and excused himself, slowly heading back to the dungeons. '_Thank God that Poppy is too busy to come down to the meals these days. She might have dragged me to the hospital wing after as much as a glance in my face_,' he thought, knowing that he wasn't able to hide anything from the overprotective Mediwitch, who knew him too well.

While he was teaching, his condition worsened on an hourly basis, and by the time his last afternoon class was over, he felt sore and completely lightheaded. '_Maybe I'm getting a fever_,' he mused and entered his potions lab for the second time today. Selecting the most effective fever reducer he had in stock as well as a strong pain relieving potion, he went to his bedroom, where he gulped down the potions, before he let himself sink onto his bed, setting his alarm clock in time for dinner.

'_At least it's bearable now_,' he thought, while he dragged himself to the Great Hall. Trying not to meet Minerva's eyes, knowing that she was able to look straight through him, he forced himself to eat a few bites and nearly jumped startled, when his older colleague's stern voice penetrated his ears.

"Severus, are you ill or what's wrong?" the Gryffindor Head of House asked in genuine concern.

"I'm fine," Severus replied, feigning annoyance, although he appreciated the fact that his former teacher always looked out for him, even if he constantly felt like a student in her presence. Fortunately, Minerva's attention was drawn away by Remus Lupin, who involved his colleague into a conversation about Sirius Black and Harry Potter.

Finally back in his quarters, Severus wearily began to brew the Wolfsbane potion, knowing that Remus would need to take the first dose on the following day. Half way through the brewing process he suddenly became so dizzy that he put a stasis charm on the potion and gulped down another strong fever reducer, noticing that it only helped so much. '_I can't faint here in the lab_,' he thought horrified and decided to brew the potion sitting on a chair for the first time since his school days. Many hours and several fever reducers and pain relieving potions later, he finally finished the Wolfsbane. '_Thank God_,' he sighed in relief. '_I already feared I wouldn't be able to make it this time_.'

HP HEALER POMFREY HP

Over the next few days, Severus felt so ill that he even pondered if he should go to the hospital wing and let Poppy help him. '_No_,' he finally decided, glancing at the still high pile of parchments on his table. '_She'd keep me there for a week, and I wouldn't get my work done at all_.'

Nevertheless, he had to go and meet the Mediwitch on Thursday evening in order to bring her a batch of potions she had requested urgently. He gulped down his normal potions right before he grabbed the batch of phials and slowly made his way to the hospital wing, glad that he didn't meet anyone on his way.

"Oh thank you, Severus," Poppy said gratefully. "That's exact what I needed right now. I just used the last dose of Pepper Up potion on a first year."

"You're welcome," Severus replied wearily and turned around to leave when Poppy all of a sudden gripped his arm.

"Severus, what's wrong?" she asked sternly, giving him a piercing look.

"Nothing," he growled, trying hard to keep his face blank.

"You look ill," the Mediwitch said worriedly, extending a hand to his forehead, which he shook off, before her hand could even make contact to his warm skin. "Severus, please take a seat and let me check on you," she ordered him sternly.

"No. I'm fine," Severus hissed through clenched teeth, glad when the door opened and a few second year Gryffindors walked in, spiking green boils from hexing each other. Seeing that Poppy was distracted from him for the moment, he quickly made his way out of her domain.

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On Saturday morning, he could hardly drag himself out of his bed. '_What's wrong with me?_' he mused, horrified. '_I've been taking so many potions; they should've helped by now_.' Totally annoyed by his indisposition, he summoned a thermometer and took his temperature, looking in horror at the display that showed a pink 40.1 (104). '_I'll have to brew an even stronger fever reducer_,' he mused, groaning as he dragged himself over to his lab and brewed the potion. '_Maybe that and the potion for ear infections will do the trick_,' he thought, gulping down a dose of each.

At lunchtime his fever had come down a degree, and Severus took another dose of the potions, before he headed down to the Great Hall, afraid that Minerva would haunt him down in his private quarters, if he didn't show up.

"Severus, look at me," Minerva demanded in a stern voice, causing Severus to groan.

"I'm not a student anymore," he mumbled, engrossing himself in spooning a few spoons full of soup into his mouth.

"Severus, are you ill?" Minerva asked worriedly, observing that his normally much too pale face was deeply flushed and that he had dark rings under his eyes.

Before Severus could even protest, the Headmaster laughed. "I wondered about that too, Minerva, when I saw that Severus didn't even take one point from Gryffindor over the whole week. That must be a first!"

"Oh, but he took one hundred and fifty points off Ravenclaw," Professor Flitwick threw in.

"Well, if he hadn't taken the points, I'd have gladly taken twice the amount," Pomona Sprout spoke up, who had witnessed together with Severus, how three Ravenclaw seventh years had tried to cast a charm on the library, so that only seventh years and teachers would be able enter the room.

Glad about the change of the topic, Severus quickly put his spoon down and excused himself, mumbling something about potions to brew for the hospital wing. Back in his quarters, he set his alarm clock for dinner time and went to bed, where he spent the rest of the weekend except for the meal times, to which he always dragged himself to the Great Hall. On Sunday evening he felt much better but decided to take the potions one last time and go back to bed since he still was a bit lightheaded.

He was just on his way back from the lab to his bedroom when all of a sudden Poppy stepped out of the fireplace.

"Poppy," he greeted the Mediwitch in surprise, glad that he had just taken his potions.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Severus," the Healer apologized, "but Minerva sent me to check on you. She has been very worried about you since yesterday, but I was extremely busy in the hospital wing because of a bug going around in Hufflepuff; otherwise I'd come earlier, especially considering that you ran away from me a few days ago."

"I'm fine," Severus growled. "I'm just a bit tired and intended to go to bed early tonight," he quickly explained why he was already dressed in his black, silky pyjamas.

"That's a good idea; you look exhausted. Go and lie down, so that I can quickly check on you to calm Minerva," Poppy instructed her young colleague in a voice, which he knew better than to ignore.

Severus grudgingly complied and refrained from hexing the woman when she waved her wand over him, frowning.

"You seem to have a slight cold, Severus. I suppose you're suffering from that since Thursday evening, when you came to the hospital wing?"

"I told you that I'm fine, Poppy."

"Did you at least take something for that horrid headache?"

"You know that I avoid taking potions if possible."

Poppy sighed. "You're the most obstinate wizard I ever met, nearly as stubborn as Minerva. Anyway, your temperature is slightly elevated, and if it's not better tomorrow, I want to see you. Do you understand me?"

"I understand, but I'll be fine tomorrow," Severus growled. "Good night, Poppy."

"Well, from tomorrow onwards, I hope to be able to take the meals in the Great Hall anyway," she added as an afterthought. "Good night, Severus."

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Over the next few weeks, Severus' condition remained like it was on that evening. He continuously had a headache, his ears stung a bit, and he often felt slightly dizzy. However, it was neither bad enough to take potions for it nor to bother Poppy about the matter, and Severus consoled himself with the fact that the winter holidays were going to begin soon.

Knowing that Minerva and Poppy were watching him closely whenever they got the chance, he decided to use concealment charms when he felt worse than normal, so that they wouldn't be able to notice if he looked ill. '_I don't want them to fuss over me all the time_,' he thought in annoyance.

However, on the last day before the beginning of the holidays, Severus was just sitting between Professors Sprout and Flitwick in their last staff meeting before Christmas, when all of a sudden an immense pain shot through his right ear. He automatically put a hand up to his ear, while a sign of pain flashed up in his eyes for a second.

Of course, this didn't go unnoticed by Minerva, who was sitting just opposite the table, and the Gryffindor asked worriedly, "Are you all right, Severus?"

"Of course," Severus replied through clenched teeth, trying to occlude his mind in order to keep the pain out.

"Very well, Minerva and Severus, would you be willing to accompany the students to the station tomorrow morning?" the Headmaster enquired gently.

'_If I can manage to drag myself out of bed_,' Severus mused, remembering how he had felt the last time his ears hurt so badly, and gave the Headmaster a weary nod, glad when the staff meeting was adjourned immediately afterwards.

When Severus woke up in the morning, he felt outright ill. Knowing from the last time, which potions he needed, he gulped down the extra strong fever reducer and the potion for the ear infection, before he dragged himself to the Great Hall right before breakfast ended. He settled down with a coffee and merely nodded when Minerva told him to hurry up and follow her out to the grounds.

Just by chance, Harry Potter was heading outside right next to him when a sudden bout of dizziness overcame him as he left the castle through the entrance doors, stepping out into the snow.

"Are you all right, Professor?" Harry asked worriedly, steadying the teacher and preparing himself for a nasty comment at the same time. However, the malicious reply didn't come.

Instead, Severus shot him a grateful look. "Thank you, Mr. Potter, and please don't tell anyone about it. I'm fine."

Harry nodded in understanding. "All right, Professor. If it happens again, just grab my arm. Nobody else is around anymore anyway." He pointed to the carriages that had already reached Hogsmeade.

"Then we should hurry a bit," Severus replied and walked down the road together with Harry. '_I must be really sick considering that I'm walking here feeling glad about Harry Potter's presence_,' he mused as he concentrated on keeping his face void of emotions.

"A bit late, aren't we?" Minerva commented dryly when they arrived on the platform just as the train left the station.

"I'm sorry, Professor, it's my fault. I... err... stumbled and my foot hurt, and Professor Snape kindly helped me out," Harry lied quickly, causing Severus to throw him a surprised look.

"Ah all right, thank you, Severus," Minerva easily accepted Harry's explanation and continued, "Severus, I have some errands to run in Diagon Alley. I'll see you at dinner." Before Severus could even reply, she apparated away.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter, for lying for me," Severus said softly when they slowly made their way back to the castle. "That was very Slytherin."

Harry sighed. "Well, the Hat originally wanted to place me into Slytherin. You're welcome, Professor. I know how it is when everyone makes a fuss. I don't like that either. However, everyone, who saw you walk today, would know immediately that you're not all right. Professor McGonagall was in a rush I think; otherwise she'd have surely noticed."

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'_The boy is probably right_,' Severus mused while he dragged himself down to the dungeons. Back in his quarters, he made a decision and fire-called Professor Dumbledore.

"Albus, I'd like to spend a few free days at home," he told the Headmaster, who agreed immediately, instructing him to be back on Christmas day at the latest.

'_Thank God that he doesn't know that my 'home' is right here_,' Severus smirked when he headed to his bedroom with a short detour to his potions lab to fetch a few phials of his most needed potions.

When Severus woke up in the morning, he felt worse than he could remember having felt before. He couldn't even drag himself out of his bed, because he was too dizzy to even sit up. Somehow, he managed to take his potions and crawl to the bathroom, glad that it was right next to his bedroom. '_Why did I lie to Albus? I should have asked Poppy for help_,' he mused, feeling unable to crawl as far as the living room, where the fireplace was situated.

Over the next two days, he had the impression that his potions were slowly losing their touch. The pain relieving potion only helped so much, and he felt that his fever remained extremely high in spite of the especially strong fever reducer he was taking every few hours. '_If only one of my curious colleagues would come to my quarters_,' he mused, knowing that they wouldn't do such a thing if not in his fevered dreams since nobody knew that he was there.

Three days after the students had gone home, Severus was still delirious, drifting from one fevered dream into the next.

All of a sudden, a dragon and a lion entered his bedroom, heading over to his bed. The lion leaned over him, putting a paw on his forehead, while the dragon captured his hand, breathing fire at him. Severus shivered violently under the cool touch of the animals, wondering if they were going to freeze him before they would eat him and if they'd eat him alive. Suddenly, the dragon breathed more fire, and Severus noticed in surprise that it made him feel better. His teeth stopped chattering, and the pain in his ears became slightly better.

"Severus, can you hear me now?" a well known voice penetrated his ear, and he noticed that the dragon and the lion had somehow turned into Poppy and Minerva.

"Minerva, Poppy," he croaked, knowing that he had never before been happier to see these two women.

"You're very ill, Severus. You're suffering from a chronic ear infection, which has become persistent because of neglect and is accompanied by a disturbance of equilibrium. Your fever was dangerously high in spite of all the potions you seem to have taken," Poppy informed him, glancing at the empty phials on his night table. "Anyway, I'm going to take you with me to the hospital wing, where you'll be staying for the rest of the holidays."

Feeling too bad to protest, Severus let Minerva put him on a stretcher, so that Poppy could take him with her. Suddenly, he remembered something.

"Why did you come to my quarters though? I told the Headmaster that I wasn't here."

Minerva sighed. "You have to thank Harry Potter for that. He was worried about you because you didn't come to the meals in the Great Hall. He apparently knew that you were ill and came to me to ask about you. When I told him you had left the castle for a few days, he informed me that he was sure you were here. That was right before he passed out with the same problem you have, so that I couldn't ask him yet why he knew that you were here. He obviously caught the illness from you the other day when you walked to Hogsmeade together."

"Well, since you'll be spending the next ten days here with each other, you'll have enough time to ask him," Poppy threw in, gently tucking the Potions Master in the bed right next to Harry.

Over the next few days, both patients were too ill to even acknowledge each other's presence. Minerva and Poppy took turns sitting with them, trying to cool them down and wake them up when they were captured in fevered nightmares.

One night, Severus woke up hearing Harry whimper, begging his uncle not to beat him. Noticing that neither Minerva nor Poppy was around, probably because they were doing a bit better now, he dragged himself out of his bed and sat down on the edge of the next bed, lightly shaking the boy.

"It's all right, Mr. Potter; it was only a dream. You're safe at Hogwarts," he told him in a soft, silky voice, causing the boy to sigh in relief.

"Thank you, Professor. I'm sorry to wake you up," Harry mumbled sleepily.

"It's all right, Potter. Go back to sleep," Severus replied, slightly surprised at his own kindness towards the brat that didn't cease to annoy him, and returned to his bed. '_Oh, I still have to thank him for sending Minerva after me_,' he suddenly remembered, while he drifted off to sleep.

Three days later, Poppy finally released both patients. She held a long monologue scolding them for not coming to her when they noticed they were getting ill, continuing to rant for five minutes in spite of having the impression that Severus and Harry weren't listening at all.

"Mr. Potter," she raised her voice to get their attention, "You will refrain from flying for two months. If you don't have problems during that time, I might let you fly again."

"Don't make such a face, Mr. Potter; the next Quidditch match is not until the beginning of May," Minerva threw in sternly.

"Yes, Professor," Harry replied sadly.

"Severus," Poppy turned to the Potions Master, "You will not brew any potions on your own over the next two months. Minerva offered to spend some time during the weekends with you, so that you can brew the necessary potions for me, and you may brew in your upper classes where you have students, who'd be able to help if something happened."

"You can either comply, Severus, or Poppy is going to keep you here," Minerva spoke up, glaring sternly at her younger colleague, who was too shocked to reply.

"Would it be sufficient, if I stayed with him?" Harry suddenly broke the silence that had followed the ladies' announcements, suggesting in a small voice, "Since I can't participate in the Quidditch practice, I have much time, and I could really need some help in Potions..." He slowly trailed off.

Severus sighed. "All right, Mr. Potter. I will tutor you. That's a good idea." '_We seem to have more in common than I always thought_,' he realized, quickly reflecting their last few encounters.

"Then the two of you can keep an eye on each other," Poppy said approvingly, causing both wizards to groan simultaneously.

"Mr. Potter, please come to my office after dinner, so that I can teach you a few important spells," Minerva instructed the boy, who agreed immediately.

'_Well, maybe better Potter than Minerva, and at least it was his own idea_,' Severus mused, while he quietly left the hospital wing, not noticing that his older colleague was following him closely.

"Don't worry, Severus; everything will be all right, and Harry is not that bad," Minerva told him in a soft voice, looking straight into his obsidian eyes that were back to their normal darkness.

'_We'll see_,' Severus mused as he let himself sink into the chair behind his desk, looking at the pile of ungraded parchments in annoyance.

**The End**


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